Gingrich on endorsing Scozzafava: I know I’m right

posted at 6:09 pm on October 20, 2009 by Allahpundit

“I endorsed the Republican who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, opposes the Obama health plan, signed the ‘no-tax-increase’ pledge, and supports a comprehensive energy plan like I do,” says Gingrich.

Third-party candidates like conservative Doug Hoffman, Scozzafava’s challenger, often serve only to divide the GOP, says Gingrich. “Just look at what’s happening in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race,” he says, pointing to the campaign of independent candidate Chris Daggett, who has siphoned support from Republican candidate Chris Christie. “What’s happening in New York and in New Jersey should be a sober warning to every purist in this country.”

“If you seek to be a perfect minority, you’ll remain a minority,” says Gingrich.

In other words, he’s treating this race as a litmus test to prove how big-tent the GOP can be. But … why? There’s no good reason to make this district, which should be a safe Republican seat, into a bellwether. Get a conservative elected and then find some socially liberal libertarians in purple districts to champion next year. Like Ace says, Scozzafava is so questionable that it’s not clear whether she’d be better than the Democrat, and since this is a special election, she’s probably looking at another challenge from Doug Hoffman a year from now anyway. I don’t get why Gingrich is digging in here: If he runs for president, this’ll be used against him by Romney et al., and if he doesn’t run for president, it’ll hurt his standing among conservatives as a senior statesman/spokesman for the party. Mystifying.

Meanwhile, it turns out that Scozzafava’s own husband was the one who called the cops on John McCormack after he dared ask her a few questions in the parking lot. (Quote from a Scozzafava spokesman: “I have no doubt he intended to follow her home, too. His actions were reprehensible.”) Um, if her husband was right there, what was he so worried about? Did he think McCormack was going to pull a gun or something? More background from Bill Kristol, defending his reporter:

Let me emphasize: I have full confidence in the truth of John’s account. And I won’t allow a desperate campaign to try to tarnish the fine reputation John has built as a fair and accurate reporter — and, for that matter, a very decent and mild-mannered young man.

As it happens, I was standing near John’s desk in the office this past Friday. The phone rang. It was Scozzafava campaign spokesman Matt Burns, who didn’t like something John had reported, and started yelling abusively at him the moment he answered the phone. We could hear Mr. Burns ten feet away. I gather Mr. Burns called later to apologize. I suppose John would accept another apology by the Scozzafava campaign. But it really would be better not to start down the road of berating reporters for accurately reporting the facts, or of calling the police when your candidate doesn’t like the questions reporters are asking.

What all sides seem to agree on is that Scozzafava is fading — whether slightly or badly depends on which candidate you support — due largely to her inability to raise enough money to defend herself from attacks from the right (from Hoffman/Club) and the left (from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

While none of the three candidates have filed fundraising reports with the Federal Election Committee yet, it’s an open secret among Republicans that Scozzafava has badly underperformed in the money chase and, as a result, is barely a presence at all on television in the final 14 days of the race.

The Scozzafava fade — assuming it continues — will create a new group of undecided voters for Owens and Hoffman to try and cherry-pick.

Newt jumped the shark a long time ago – about the point when he “debated” John Kerry on global warming and ended up agreeing with everything Kerry said and came just short of kissing his rear end on television. So, Newt is not the most credible Republican out there these days.

And this Scozzafava? She looks like she could be Nancy Pelosi’s younger sister. That does not bode well….

I wonder what more credible conservative like, say, Fred Thompson thinks of this race?

The problem with people like Newt, is they’ve been insiders too long. In the 90s Newt came up with a plan that got Republicans the Congress, the first time in many decades.
THey went on to accomplish little.
He then spent the next 10-15 years getting pats on the back from Republicans, and he became a media “go to guy” in Washington.
Newt sold out and so did the Republicans of the Contract for America era. They became fat, lazy, and enjoyed the parties and country club set. They, along with the RNC leaders, have nothing in common with the grass root people that raised them to power. The final proof of it is when the Republican Party can throw a pro-abortion, pro card check supposed Republican at us and expect us to say it’s OK..IT IS NOT OK!

When Meghan McCain speaks out for gay marriage and against celibacy movements and for a “new Republican party” she does it because she sincerely thinks that’s the right thing to do, good in and of itself, and so why not do it?

When Newt foists this liberal on the Republicans he knows she’s a turkey. We’ve all heard Newt speak from the heart, and he doesn’t talk about avoiding perfection in order to win. He knows this is sleazy but he thinks it will work.

Newt has so become a disappointment, between this and the Pelosi Commercials I am so disgusted with this man. I have been sending daily emails to Fred Thompson regarding Newt’s betrayal (he supports Doug Hoffman, Fred does) regarding this and urging him to decide to run for the POTUS (For real this time) in 2012. Please join me in doing this all!! We need Fred in 2012, nobody else!

I couldn’t disagree more with Gingrich. A party must stand for something to attract supporters.

The party must define its platform and then welcome in as candidates all who agree with the fundamental tenets of the the platform at least 70% of the time, and do not flagrantly oppose any.

But if someone clearly falls outside that, then as Ronald Reagan said in 1975, let them go their way.

We did not win in 94 by finding far left liberals willing to run as Republicans. We won by getting as many candidates as possible to stand together supporting the policies stated in the Contract with America. We gave people something to vote for.

In this race, we have a solid Republican district and are running a candidate that would literally fit right in with the House Democratic caucus. She might be too far left for the Blue Dogs. Let her go her way, we can win in this district with a solid conservative.

We don’t need any more Snowe’s giving “bipartisan” cover for Obama. This would be like Snowe on steroids.

The Republican Party should ask her to withdraw and throw its support behind Hoffman.

“What’s happening in New York and in New Jersey should be a sober warning to every purist in this country.”

No, it should be a sober warning to the leaders of the Republican Party that they need to clean up their act and start supporting real opposition candidates. I.e. we need representatives who will stand up for Madisonian principcles. If they won’t, they deserve to lose support. Republicans need to start supporting their supporters, or expect to lose them. Me-too’ing the Democrats is a self-defeating policy, even ignoring the immorality involved.

Newt Gingrich, the inevitable result of embracing Pragmatism. For such people there’s not a view or value they won’t compromise or betray. They are the rubber tube Rand described that drains the lifeblood from the living. In this case, it only helps the zombie socialists who refuse to stay dead.

If the conservatives get fractured (even to third party status) the Left will take over for good.

r keller on October 20, 2009 at 6:51 PM

The Right wants to reverse the policies of the Left.

If you want the policies of the Left reversed, do not elect the Center.

I once agreed with you, but when it comes down to it the Center won’t move Right. They also gain seniority over the Right and therefore, power within the party beyond their numbers. EG, Specter as Chair of Judiciary.

A fool and there majority are soon departed.People stand up to these RINOS everywhere .Tell them there days of compromise are over we the people are who you work for.No more will be just sit back fat dumb and happy.Now a word of caution to people like Hannity and others who kiss up to people like Newt,Huckabee,McCain and other RINOS be very careful who you hang out with you could go down with them.

“I endorsed the Republican who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, opposes the Obama health plan, signed the ‘no-tax-increase’ pledge, and supports a comprehensive energy plan like I do,” says Gingrich.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009
Twelve days before Ms. Scozzafava took the pledge, the state assemblywoman told the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that she would never sign it because more constituents could be affected by refusing to raise income taxes and being forced to raise other taxes and fees instead.

She said Friday she “doesn’t feel that it does bind my hands.”

Mr. Hoffman said Saturday that Ms. Scozzafava’s willingness to sign now was directly related to her “dropping in the polls.”

It is most likely tied to some other objectionable legislation that the GOP can’t/won’t/shouldn’t sign on to. This is what is wrong with how laws are passed.

glennbo on October 21, 2009 at 6:38 PM

Yeah, that was my first thought but, from what I’ve been able to find on the internet, The Republicans are trying to attach legislation re ACORN and other things to the bill. I hate ACORN as much as anybody but this is not the time or place for such a thing. It just hands an easy and obvious propaganda victory to the Dems.

I live in McHugh’s 23rd Dist. and “O” gave him the Sect. Of The Army job and ACORN and Newt gave their nod to DeDe another RINO to replace another RINO. Smart politics by “O” culling out GOP Congressman slipping in another that will be controllable. I’m for Hoffman in November.

Newt is a populist fraud. Always has been. His true colors are starting to shine now. It\’s one thing for him to support a Liberal Republican against a Democrat. It\’s an entirely different thing to support a liberal over a conservative republican. Newt is big government solutions, pro-enviroment, and is only second to Bill Clinton in being self absorbed. Those of you that support him please look closer at this fraud. I did over 8 years ago and found a very different man that one he presents himself as.

Does the more conservative republican candidate have more of a chance of winning in general election than the RINO?

If not then I don’t understand what the problem here is… i’ll rather have a republican in that seat than a dem who will probably vote yes for Obamacare.

TimeTraveler on October 21, 2009 at 7:10 PM

That seat has been a Republican Gimme seat for over 60 years. There’s NO reason to think Hoffman wouldn’t take it as a Republican. Newt’s full of CRAP just like the rest of the POS that run the GOP. They are CHOOSING Scozofava, a pro-choice, pro-gay, union shill to be THEIR CANDIDATE in a conservative Republican district. Just like they stab Rubio in the back in favor of the two faced coward Crist.

No conservative should EVER send any money to the crooks and liars at the RNC or any of their funding committees. They need to be rooted out and abused.

Style isn’t the main goal of that job Michael. I had hoped you’d discipline the Party to focus on a unified conservative message in every district. Putting a Happy Face on the Same Ol’ Phony Crap isn’t real Change is it?

I was looking for heads to roll but looks like you’re the one getting rolled to me.